University of Oklahoma Athletics

Red Hot Neal Earns Big 12 Honor

Red Hot Neal Earns Big 12 Honor

February 20, 2006 | Men's Basketball

By: Athletics Communications

NORMAN, Okla. Oklahoma junior guard Michael Neal was named the Phillips 66 Big 12 Rookie of the Week today after averaginng 27.5 points in two games versus Colorado and Iowa State.  It marked the second time this season that Neal claimed the honor.

Neal, a 6-3, 191-pounder from Mesquite, Texas, was 7-for-14 from 3-point range and scored a then-career-high 26 points in an 83-74 loss at Colorado last Wednesday.  He missed his first 3-point attempt of the game before making his next six tries from long range, tying a school record for consecutive 3-point makes in a contest.

Against the Cyclones on Saturday, Neal poured in a career-high 29 points as he went 8-for-12 from 3-point territory.  He scored all of his 17 second-half points in the final 7:02 and netted nine of the team's last 11 points.  His three free throws with 8.4 seconds left were the game's final points.

Texas Tech Preview | Season Stats | Gameday Central

Neal's eight treys versus the Cyclones were the most by a Sooner in three seasons (Hollis Price made nine at Iowa State in 2002-03).  He has made 21 3-pointers over the last three contests, setting a school record for most treys during a three-game stretch (Calvin Curry made 19 over three consecutive outings in 1993-94).

The former first-team junior college All-American is now averaging 13.2 points per game for the 17-6 Sooners (8-4 in Big 12 play) and is scoring a team-high 15.9 in conference action.  He leads the league with his 3.5 treys per contest and ranks second in 3-point percentage (.435).  In conference play,  Neal averages 4.3 treys and is shooting .524 from beyond the arc (also ranks first and second, respectively).

Neal, who was also named Big 12 Rookie of the Week on Jan. 23, has made at least four 3-pointers in seven of the last nine games.  Over those nine outings he is averaging 17.3 points and 4.7 treys.

Texas Tech's Jarrius Jackson was named the Big 12 Player of the Week after averaging 28.0 points in two wins.

The Sooners play at Texas Tech tonight at 8 p.m. CST (ESPN) before hosting Kansas State on Saturday at 3 p.m. (ESPN Plus).

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